Adjustable conveyer for cartoning machines



Feb. 17, 1953 A. H. ROSS 2 ,5

ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17. 1945 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Feb. 17, 1953 A. H.' ROSS 2,623,542

ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Fil ed Sept. 17, 1945 1s Sheets-Sheet 2 H-e wg Zen- Feb. 17, 1953 A. H. Ross 2,623,542

ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 a o 3 Q 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 I Q Q: 1 a 2 3 a INVENTOR. N BYW/ MZM 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 W o o o o my 0 o o o 1 I .1 o ooooooooo Feb. 17, 1953 A. H. ROSS ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 Feb. 1 7, 1953 A. H. ROSS ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 M m .118 202 o 51 14.9 gz; 15.; 'Li A .01 1a 1% 3M 13 INVENTOR.

y %mwl mf Feb. 17, 1953, Ross 2,628,542

ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 -zf: B 4 1 INVENTOR. Miim BY Feb. 17, 1953 A; H. ROSS ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 13 Sheets-Sheet ll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/II/IIIII/IIIIII/IIIII/ \Q)( X X X O O z gNVENTOR. ZM ma zaww w Feb. 17, 1953 A. H. ROSS ADJUSTABLE CONYEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES 13 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Sept. 17, 1945 INVENTOR.

Feb. 17, 1953 A. H. ROSS 2,628,542

ADJUSTABLE CONVEIYER FOR CARTONING'MACHINES Filed Sept. 17, 1945 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 2/ V NTOR. BYZM Q7, M35 row Patented Feb. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES iATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE CONVEYER FOR CARTONING MACHINES Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,723

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved packaging machine which is adapted to erect a carton from a flat folded blank, and prepare it for the reception of merchandise.

The principal objective of this invention has been to provide a cartoning machine devoid of cumbersome mechanisms and free of reciprocating parts, and one which is capable of being operated, without jamming, at higher production speeds than cartoners presently available.

A further objective of the invention has been to provide an adjustable cartoning machine capable of being set conveniently through dial or knob controls to accommodate a variety of car tons of different sizes and shapes. More specifically, in this respect, the invention contemplates a machine which may be converted easily and quickly, without the use of tools, for handling cartons of one size or shape following a run in which cartons or" a different size and shape were erected.

In more detail, the invention is directed to improvements in the carton magazine which is arranged to hold a stack of fiat-folded cartons to be erected, improvements in the feeding or delivery of these carton blanks from the magazine one after another, improvements in the appara tus by which the cartons are squared or erected from their flat condition to their opened or set-up condition, and improved apparatus for manipulating the naps and end closures of the cartons whereby the use of reciprocating knives, blades, or other elements for inserting the end flaps is eliminated. The invention also is directed to an apparatus in which these improvements are proa,

video. through elements of the machine which are readily adjustable so as to operate upon packages of a variety of types and shapes.

In the past, cartoning machines, both fully and semi-automatic in their purpose, have been available, but all have been characterized by the presence of extensive cams, links and reciprocating members, interoperated necessarily through a multiplicity of joints and connections. On the whole, the machines obviously Were cumbersome and skilled operators were required, not only to adjust the machines, but to keep them in proper operating condition. Moreover, because of the substantial mass and inertia of the moving parts, and because of the reciprocating or oscillating movement of many of these parts, the speed of operation of the past machines has been limited.

In accordance with the present invention, unidirectional or simple rotary movements are employed. The flat cartons drop one after another from the magazine to a continuously advancing feeder, and, from here, they are delivered to an advancing transport at which the blanks are squared, the side flaps folded, the end flap closures conditioned for insertion and inserted to complete the set-up operation. The operations in some instances are conducted on the blanks serially, and in other instances simultaneously. For instance the transport has the double function of not only conveying the cartons as they are operated upon but also of cooperating in the erection of the flat blanks whereby simplification of the mechanism is accomplished.

The invention, in its preferred form, also contemplates a departure from past practice in operating upon cart-on blanks while the end flaps or closures thereof are at the bottoms of the blanks rather than at the top (or overhanging) as heretoiore. This enables many of the operations to be conducted While the end flaps and adjoining carton walls are supported upon a smooth table, whereas the past machines required provisions for holding the end flaps in an elevated position, against their tendency to drop, until they were ready to enter a carton previously prepared by the conventional knife inserter.

From the method point of View the invention contemplates erection of a flat-folded carton blank, with its flap lowermost, by squeezing upon opposite longitudinal edges of the carton during its advancement. The squeezing or pressure at the opposite longitudinal edges, or at local points thereon, causes a hinging action to take place at the longitudinal folds or seams of the blank, thereby displacing one carton face from the other and thereby opening up the box. According to this preferred method the top face of the carton is lifted from the lower face, which carries the end flap, while the lower face is supported.

From the machine point of view a preferred form of the invention for employing this method includes a transport having a plurality of fingers extending therefrom for engaging the opposite longitudinal edges of the carton, and means for causing fingers at one side of the carton relatively to approach the fingers at the other side whereby they cooperate to squeeze the carton and thereby erect it, and also thereafter to sustain the carton in its open or erected form.

In more detail, the machine includes a magazine having corner elements delineating a chute or hopper for reception of a stack of carton blanks. The width spacing and the length spacing of these corner angle elements are adjustable by rotation of graduated dials conveniently accessible upon the magazine housing.

From the magazine, the cartons are advanced A (a by one or more feed fingers constituting part of a continuous conveyor moving always in one direction appropriately to deliver the cartons from the magazine to a transport. The transport, in turn, embodies plurality of continuous conveyors presenting one or more fingers for engaging the forward edge of a delivered carton blank, and one or more fingers for engaging the rearward or trailing edge of the same carton blank. By cooperation of these fingers during their advancement the carton edges are relatively squeezed toward one another, and thereby the blank is opened into box form. successively, the side flaps are folded and the end flap is brought up and tucked in. For these operations, plows or former elements are arranged one after another, adjacent the transport and at one side thereof, to engage the respective side end and fiaps. These elements individually are adjustable by micrometer dials or with respect to scales r for setting the adjustments. The fingers of the transport also are adjustable to accommodate cartons of different width and effect erection thereof, and their shape may conform to the shape of the erected box, if desirable, as when the package is of polygonal or unconventional design in cross section. All of the elements of the transport and feeder are movable in unison in normal machine operation; therefore the feeder need not be retimed, as heretofore required, whenever the machine is being set for operation on a different size of package. The variation in the spacing of the transport fingers is provided through a conveniently accessible adjustment member which is preferably in the form of a worm for effecting a relative movement between the fingers of the transport respectively leading and trailing the box which is located therebetween. During manipulation the boxes are supported by and held upon a table by a pressure shoe which also is adjustable to accommodate boxes extending upwardly above the table to different heights. Conversion of the machine from operation on one type of carton to a carton of another type is provided entirely through the rotation of knobs or elements, all within easy range and access of the operator, and all located adjacent the scene of operation which are controlled thereby.

From the foregoing principles upon which the H invention is predicated and from the following detailed description of the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the machine is illustrated, those skilled in the art readily will comprehend various modifications to which the invention is susceptible.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the feeder mechanism with the magazine and cover plate removed to expose the parts.

Figure '7 is a longitudinal sectional view through the feed mechanism taken on the line of Figure 6. In this view the lower portion of the magazine and the feeder cover plate are shown in mounted position.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 88 of Figure 7 and shows the ar- 4 rangement of the feed finger guide rails therefor.

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary views, similar to Figure 7, showing the receiving end of the carton transport; Figure 7 shows the transport receiving a carton in collapsed position; Figure 9 shows the position of the parts when the carton is partially squared; and Figure 10 shows the position of the parts in the fully squared form.

Figure 11 is a sectional view taken on the line HIl of Figure 7 and illustrates a first operation on the carton flap or closure.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view, similar to Figure 2, but enlarged to show the first flap forming elements.

Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on line i3-l3 of Figure 11.

Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line |4--i4 of Figure 2.

Figure 15 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line l5-l5 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken on the line i6-l6 of Figure 2.

Figure 17 is a sectional view taken on the line i'i-ll of Figure 2.

Figure 18 is a sectional view taken on the line |8i8 of Figure 2.

Figure 19 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line I9i9 of Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of Figure 18.

Figure 21 is a sectional view taken on the line 2l-2l of Figure 2 showing the endwise portion of the transport and the drive therefor.

Figure 22 is a sectional view taken on the line 2222 of Figure 21.

Figure 23 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 23--23 of Figure 2 showing respective stations in the end closure apparatus.

Figures 24 to 28, inclusive, are fragmentary cross sectional views taken respectively on the lines 2428 of Figure 23.

Figures 29 to 37, inclusive, are diagrammatic views showing various stages in the preparation of a package from the fiat form, in which it is placed in the magazine, to the delivered form, with one of its ends closed with the package prepared for the reception of merchandise.

As indicated in Figures 29 to 37, the invention is disclosed in relation to a machine for opening the box and closing its one end only. For closing the other end of the box elements the same as those disclosed for the first end but arranged for the opposite end of the box may be employed following insertion of the contents within the box.

The main elements of the machine are shown in assembly on Figure 1. These include a table I, which may be mounted upon rollers so as to be wheeled about conveniently at points adjacent loading machines or other place of operation, and a bed 2 which is fastened upon the table, to provide the primary support for the various machine elements. A magazine 3 extends upwardly from the bed adjacent one end thereof for receiving a stack of fiat-folded cartons, and a feeder 4 is housed within the bed beneath the magazine. A transport 5 extends from the feeder in tandem relationship thereto, and the transport operates in conjunction with a table 6 provided in part by the top bed surface which is surmounted by a liftable presser bar or holddown I.

Arranged along the side of the transport. adjacent one another serially, are end and side flap manipulating elements, including a side flap turner 8, a former andinserter assembly 9, and a pair of rollers I which bring the end flap into its fully tucked position. The apparatus is driven by a variable speed power unit I I (Figure 3) mounted within the table, and the bed supports a gear box I 2 at one side thereof for transferring drive from the transport to the movable flap former elements.

For convenience in the description, the various foregoing elements and assemblies are described in detail under the following respective headings:

Magazine The details of the construction of the magazine are shown best in Figures 2, 4 and 5. comprises a housing made up of interconnected side walls I3-I3, a cross wall I4, extending between the side walls, and two partial cross walls I5l5 which are mounted upon the side walls at the opposite upright edges thereof, and which have their inner edges spaced from one another so as to provide an access space to the hopper assembly I6 contained in the housing. The hopper consists of four vertical angle elements, two of which, IlI "I, are arranged adjacent the cross wall I4, and the other two of which, I8I8, are spaced therefrom, toward the partial walls I5. The upper ends of the corner elements are splayed outwardly, as at I9 (Figure 4) to facilitate introduction of stacks of cartons.

Side walls I3 of the housing are bolted to the upper surface of the bed, as at 2B (Figure 4), and they may be in the form of castings having their opposite vertical edges recessed to receive the cross walls I4 and I5, which are held in place by means of bolts 2| threaded into suitable bosses.

The cross wal1 l4, approximately intermediate its top and bottom portions, has a cross slot 22 in its inner surface (Figure 5), and, at the outside of this wall, there is a boss 23 located substantially centrally of the slot. The boss is bored to form a bearing for a stud shaft 24 which has a knob 25 pinned thereto at the outside of the magazine. At the interior of the housing, shaft 24 rigidly carries a pinion 26, while upper and lower slide members 21 and 28 respectively are disposed within the cross slot 22, and each has rack teeth out upon its inward edge respectively for mating engagement with the teeth at the top and bottom of the pinion 25. Gibs 29 extend along the outer edges of the slide blocks 21 and 28 in the guideway 22, and the slide blocks are held within the guideway by means of strips 30 which overhang their marginal edges, and which are held in place by screws SL The inner marginal edges of the slide blocks, along the rack teeth thereof, also are sustained by means of a central strap 32 which is common to them and held by screws 31a.

One of the vertical hopper corners post I"! of the pair is fastened to one of the slide blocks, i. e. 21, and the other to the opposite slide block, i. e. 28. For this support, each slide block carries a lug 33 at its exposed face, and the transverse face of the corner post is held in facial engagement therewith through screw 3d. The construction, therefore, mounts the corner posts I! rigidly in a vertical direction, but adjustably toward and away from one another in a, direction transversely of the machine upon rotation of the knob 25. Intermediate the corner posts ll is a rigid guide plate 2660, having its surface flush with the inner transverse faces of the corner elements to act as a supplemental alignment This unit surface when the corner posts arespreadzfari.

extend in a, direction longitudinally of the ma-,

chine. The upper and lower edges of the guide arms are rabbeted, as at 36, and U-shaped assemblies 31 slidably embrace the upper and lower edges of the guide arms through spaced lips 38-38 respectively engaging the faces of the rabbets and the opposite faces of the guide arms. One of the flanges of each assembly, i. e., the upper one as shown in Figure 4, has rack teeth out on its lower edge for engagement with a pinion 39, of which there is one for each assembly 31. The opposite flange in each assembly does not have rack teeth, but clears the pinion, so that rotation of the pinion in one direction move the assembly 31 in one direction. These pinions are held in place by means of lip plates 40 bearing against their outer faces, the lip plates being fastened in position by screws M. The corner posts I8 are held to the U-shaped assemblies 31 by screws 42.

The pinions 39 are pinned to stud shafts 43 extending outwardly therefrom in opposite directions toward and through the respective side walls I3 of the magazine housing, where the shafts are journalled within bushings 44 having collar portions 45 at the interior surfaces of the magazine side walls.

Shafts 43 have longitudinal keyways cut therein, and the collars t5 carry keys 46 engaging the keyways. At the outer surfaces of the side walls, where bushings at are rotatably journalled in bosses 5?, the bushings carry graduated knobs 48 which are fastened thereto as at 19. The bushings are bored internally to permit the shafts 43 to move longitudinally therein. Thus, the knobs it drive the respective pinions 39 and the pinions drive the racks of the U-shaped assemblies 31 to which the corner posts it of the hopper are attached, causing the corner posts Iii to move toward or from corner posts I'I, while the clearance bores in the bushings hi permit the shafts s3 and assemblies 3? to be moved inwardly or outwardly as units toward and from one another upon rotation of knob 25. the three knebs, the cross sectional dimensions of the magazine conveniently may be adjusted to fit cartons of various sizes within the range accommodated by the machine.

Carton Feeder The details of the carton feeding mechanism are shown in Figures 6, '7 and 8. This apparatus rests between the side walls of the bed and it is mounted upon a plate 5% (Figure 8) which is bolted to the bottom cross web 5! of the bed by means of screws 52. The upper surface of the bed includes longitudinal inturned flanges or ways 53,

, and each of these supports a horizontal table plate 54, the inner edges of which are spacedapart to provide a longitudinal passage for movable feeder elements. The inner edges of the table plates 54 which overhang the flanges are supported respectively by side plates 5555 which rest upon the base plate 55 where they are fastened through screws 56.

Adjacent the upper portions of the side plates near the opposite ends thereof cross shafts 5'! rotatably are journalled, preferably in anti- By manipulation offriction bearings, as shown in Figure 6. The cross shafts 51 respectively carry pairs of sprockets 58 which are in longitudinal alignment with one another, and which are spaced inwardly from the side plates 55 by means of collars 59. The foremost of the cross shafts also has an extended portion 60 carrying a collar SI and beyond the collar a sprocket 62, both fixed to the portion 60, through which the feed assembly is driven in timed relationship to the transport as described at a later point in the specification.

In the machine shown in the drawings, two chains 6363 are employed, each having feed fingers 84 thereon for engaging the lowermost carton in the stack in the magazine. These fingers preferably operate in pairs, one on each chain, to maintain transverse alignment of the carton during its advance. However, additional fingers may be used where desirable, or as required by the characteristics of the carton the machine is intended to fabricate.

In the construction disclosed in the drawings, each feed finger 64 is an L-shaped element having an elongated portion 65 from which extends a laterally offset portion 18, presenting a pusher surface 1| at its outer extremity. Each feed finger is attached to the chain by the extension of two adjacent of the chain pins, e. g. 13-13 through the elongated finger portion 65 near the tail thereof, so as to carry the finger along the side of the chain and in longitudinal alignment with that link of the chain with which it is associated. The pins pass through the fingers and are riveted over to hold the fingers rigidly in connection with their respective link elements. In the alternative, the links and fingers may be integral. Each finger also has a guide pin 14 extending laterally therefrom at the side opposite the chain.

Adjacent the upper portions of the side plates 55, tracks 1515 (Figure 8) are located directly underneath the chains so that the chain rollers travel over the upper surfaces thereof. These tracks are held in place by spacer blocks 16 which are fastened, through screws 11, to the side walls of the assembly. In addition to this supportof the chain belts, the individual feed fingers are also guided by engagement of pins 14 in slots 18 through the delivery phase of movement of the fingers. The slots 18 are delineated by lower track members 19 and cooperative upper tracks 80 which are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the thickness or diameter of the guide pins 14. The lower tracks 19 are held by spacers 8| fastened to tracks 15 while the upper tracks 88 are sustained from the lower tracks through offset brackets 82 having notches therein to clear projecting portions of the feed pins 14. The upper tracks 80 are bent upwardly as at 82a (Figure 7) to facilitate entrance of guide pins 14 into the slots 18. Also, both tracks are adjustable in unison, to raise or lower the pushing portions 11 of fingers 84 relative to the level of table plates 54. This is accomplished by providing elongated slots 19a in the lower tracks which are traversed by the fastening screws 191) (Figure '7) The table structure, comprising sidewise table plates 54, intermediate the feed fingers 14 is completed by a plate 83 which is fastened to a post 84 extending from a cross piece 35 which is mounted to the lower surface of the spacer members 16 by bolts 86.

A cover plate 85!: extends across the bed rearwardly of the magazine 3 to enclose the moving parts of the feeder.

Transport The transport mechanism 5 comprises a plurality of continuous chains or belts extending longitudinally of the bed 2 of the machine beneath the table 6 thereof. In the structure shown in the drawings, three of these chains, 81, 88 and 89 (Figure 6), are employed. They are strung respectively upon rear sprockets 90 and head sprockets 9|. The rear sprockets are mounted upon a tail shaft 92, while the forward sprockets are mounted upon a head shaft 93 (Figure 17). Both shafts are journalled at their endwise portions in antifriction bearings carried in the side walls of the bed 2 of the machine.

In the preferred structure, the apparatus provides means for moving all of the chains in unison during normal machine operation, and also for moving one or more of the chains independently of the others; thus, in the machine disclosed, center chain 88 is shiftable independently of outer belts 81 and 88. In more particular detail, the outside sprockets 96 at the tail shaft 92 (Figure 14) have hubs thereon keyed directly to the tail shaft by means of an elongated key 94. A bushing 95 surrounds the tail shaft intermediate the outer sprockets 90, and it is also keyed thereto. This bushing however has a counterturned portion 96 which rotatably receives the hub of the sprocket carrying the center chain 88. Tail shaft 52 provides a shoulder 91 for holding the outside sprocket at one side of the assembly against longitudinal movement, and a collar 98 is pinned to the shaft against the other outside n sprocket to hold them all in assembly. Bearings for the extremities of the tail shaft 92 are indicated at 99 and I00, and the shaft is threaded to carry a pair of lock nuts [0| disposed against the bearing I00 at its one end, while the shaft has a drive slot 162 at its other end which proiects beyond the bearing 99.

The sprocket assembly at the discharge end of the transport is shown in Figures 21 and 22. Here, head shaft 93 has its ends journalled in bearings I83 and H24. The shaft projects beyond the bearing I84 where it carries lock nuts (05, and at the opposite end the shaft has a projecting portion upon which the clutch and hand wheel assembly 101 are mounted. The outside head sprockets 9l9| are keyed to the head shaft, as described in conjunction with the tail shaft assembly. However, intermediate the outer sprockets is a bushing presenting an annular vol-hanging flange I5 8 having a transverse slot we in its periphery for the reception of a worm l 12-. The periphery of the bushing also contains a notch HI adjacent the slot 158 which forms a recess for the head H2 of a shaft H3 which extends across the slot 109 to form the support for the worm I ID. The worm lies in the plane of the flange I08 and is pinned to the shaft H3, as at H4, while the head H2 of the shaft has a socket therein for the reception of an Allen wrench through which the worm may be r0- tated.

The transverse slot I89 extends through the flange I08 for exposing the thread of the worm to the teeth of a worm wheel H5 which is fastened rigidly to a face of the center sprocket member of the head end assembly; for instance, the worm wheel may be keyed to the center sprocket by one or more radially spaced pins H6. The bushing presenting the annular overhanging fiange I08 includes an elongated sleeve portion 10811 of reduced diameter which surrounds the head shaft 93 to rotatably support the center sprocket assembly, and the bushing also is keyed to the head shaft by the same key, II 8, which extends through the outer sprockets 9i. A spacing collar H9 is interposed between the end of the sleeve portion of the bushing and the adjacent outer sprocket. By virtue of this construction, a wrench may be inserted into the socket headof the shaft [I3 to rotate the worm III thereby driving the worm wheel H5 and causing the center sprocket of the assembly to be rotated independently of the two outside sprockets. In this manner the spacing of the center chain fingers may be varied with respect to the cooperating fingers-on outer chains toenable the transport to operate upon boxes of different widths. An access hole IISa (Figure 22) is located in the table 6 of the machine through which the wrench may be inserted into the worm shaft socket when the latter is brought aroundto a position beneath the access hole by manual movement of the transport.

The head end shaft is driven from the power drive II through a chain belt I20 which extends upwardly around a drive pinion I2 I, which is carried on the projected portion of the head shaft.

The drive unit, as previously described, may be mounted within the table of the apparatus, with the belt I20 passing through a suitable clearance opening I22 in the top surface thereof along the side of the bed.

Preferably the drive unit is of the variable speed type and includes a hand wheel 123 which is accessible beyond an end wall of the table.

The variable speed drive unit enables the rate of production of the machine to be coordinated with the requirements of the packaging machine, or to be varied in accordance with the type or size of the carton being erected.

A hand wheel and clutch assembly It? (Figure 2l) enables the machine to be operated slowly -by hand to facilitate adjustment of the apparatus. In the present embodiment, a construction is employed which permits either the hand wheel or the power drivabut not both, to be coupled to the head shaft 93, whereby the drag of the power drive is eliminated if the hand wheel is being utilized, and whereby the hand wheel is idle or stationary if the power drive is being utilized' For power drive purposes, a chain driven sprocket I2I is mounted for rotation upon shaft 93. The shaft, at its extremity, carries a drive collar I24, and a selective clutch element I25 is interposed between the drive collar i2 2 and the sprocket I2I. The clutch element comprises a sleeve I26 having a longitudinal keyway therein which is engageable by a key it? on the shaft, whereby the sleeve is always rotatably coupled with, but is longitudinally movable of, the shaft. At the end of the sleeve, adjacent the sprocket I 2|, a pin or tooth I28, is arranged The. hand wheel in turn. has apin or tooth E32 positioned for reception in a mating opening or against a mating tooth on the drive collar I2 1. The spacing of the parts is such that the wheel assembly may be connected with the drive collar IE or alternatively with the sprocket I25. When the hand wheel is pulled toward collar I2 5, the manual drive is from the hand wheel through pin I32 to the collar, thence directly to the shaft through drive collar key I33. At this time, sprocket I2I and all of the power drive apparatus is idle. When the hand wheel is pushed inwardly, pin I28 forms a direct connection with the sprocket I2I and motion therefore is transmitted from the power apparatus through the sprocket I2I to the pin I28, thence through the sleeve I26, through the key If? and head shaft 93. At this time, the hand wheel is idle.

The belts 8T, 88 and 89 of the transport apparatus preferably are of the same type as those employed in the feed mechanism, comprising roller elements linked together and shafts 92 and 93, in elevation, are so positioned that the upper course of the belts is just beneath the surface of table 5.

Each belt has a plurality of fingers I34 extending laterally therefrom for engaging a carton resting on the table. At their upper extremities, above the table, the fingers are somewhat enlarged so as to provide substantial facial areas, while the portions of the fingers adjacent the points of connection at the belt are of reduced thickness to enable narrow finger passageways 'to be employed in the table, and thereby render almost the full table area to be available for effective support of cartons during their erection and conveyance. Each finger I34 comprises a relatively thin but elongated base (Figure 22), an upright portion extending transversely theremin, and a shoulder at the transition from the thin to the thick part of the finger which forms a square base. The thin portion of the finger is bored to receive projecting portions of adjacent iink pins of the chain, which are riveted over to hold the fingers rigidly with respect to the chain links with which the fingers are connected.

The fingers of the transport are arranged in groups,-the members of which respectively engage opposite transverse edges of a carton so as to act upon those edges and effect erection of the carton as well as to sustain the carton during its conveyance. In the apparatus shown in the drawings, the forward or leading edge of the carton is engaged by a single finger extending from the center chain, while fingers on the two outer belts, in alignment of one another crosswise of the machine, operate upon the trailing edge of the carton. The three-finger arrangement just described has been found to be desirable and effective for operation upon most of the cartons of conventional shapes because the three-point contact on the carton minimizes the need for exact alignment and also enables pressure to be exerted on the carton, near its endwise portions, where the need for squareness is important in connection with assembling and insertion of the .end flaps. However, additional chains and other finger groupings may beutilized, for instance, in the design of machines for handling cartons of an elongated nature or cartons made of relatively weak materials.

The table 6, in respect to which the fingers operate, comprises edgewise strips I35 and I36 (Figures 16, 17 and 18) which are mounted upon the upper surface of the machine bed where they are bolted in place. The upper surface of the bed 2, between-the tailshaft 92and the headrollers of the three chains. These tracks are in the form of rectangular bars narrow enough to fit between the side links of the chains and the bars held in place by means of screws I4I.

The rollers of the two outer chains 81 and 89 are held down upon the two outer tracks I49 by track portions I42 which are appropriately delineated by grooves cut in the underneath surfaces of the table members I35 and I36. The grooves provide clearance for the links of the belts and the inner edges of the table plates just clear the fingers I34 carried by the respective outer belts.

At one side of the center chain 88 a spacer block I43 is mounted to support, at its upper surface, a strip-like table element I44 which overhangs the center belt where its lower surface has a groove similar to that at the table plates I35, I36, to provide a track for holding the rollers of the center chain upon the center track I40. At the other side of center chain 88 a spacer block I58 is employed which, at its upper surface, carries a strip-like table element I46. Strips I44 and I46 are held in place through screws I41 and all of the table elements have their edges spaced longitudinally to provide grooves or passageways for the reduced thickness portions of the transport fingers; likewise, all of their upper surfaces are substantially flush with one another and with the side table members I35 and I36.

Table 6 starts at a point adjacent or just forward of the tail shaft 92 and extends beyond the transport at the discharge end of the machine. As shown in Figure '7, the table comprising elements 54-54 and 83 of the feeder extends forwardly therefrom toward the transport where it is notched out to provide clearance spaces for the transport fingers I34 as they move through a curved path at the tail sprockets.

The spacing of the feed fingers is such that at the forward end of their stroke they occupy positions in-between the fingers of the transport. Moreover, the longitudinal extension of the feed fingers, from the points at which they are connected to the feed chains, enables them to be guided in groove I8 to a point forwardly Of the forward sprocket 58 of the feed mechanism into the range of operation of the transport,

The preferred construction by which the engages the forward edge of the carton is marked V A, and the trailing fingers of the groups are marked B (see Figure 7).

Figure '7 shows the relationship to the parts when a feed finger 64 has driven a carton, X, forwardly to the end of its delivery stroke where it is about to be picked up by the transport. The apparatus is timed so that the carton reaches this position just as the trailing fingers B are coming into the table plane. Erection of the carton is effected through a decrease in the distance between the fingers A and B at the table plane, as they move relatively into their linear path from the curved path along which they were moving around the tail sprockets. Thus,

as the trailing fingers B just enter the table level,

the total available distance between fingers A and B is designated by the dimension L. At this time, the trailing fingers B are at an obtuse angle with respect to the table, while the leading finger A of the group may be perpendicular or substantially so. Further movement of the transport causes the obtuse angle to be decreased and the distance L at table level to be shortened to a new dimension L, which is indicated in Figure 9. L is a distance which is less than the width of the carton in its flat position, but greater than the width of the carton in its fully erected position. Thus, the trailing fingers B have caused the leading edge of the carton to abut the leading finger A and are exerting a queezing action on the carton in a direction transversely thereof. This squeezing movement causes a hinging action to take place at the carton edges, and the upper face of the carton is displaced from the lower face whereby the carton is partially squared. This movement continues until the trailing finger has reached the end of its curved path, and has moved into its linear path, that is, until the dimension between the trailing and leading fingers has been still further reduced to the dimension L (Figure 10) which corresponds in width to the width of the fully squared box. In this condition, the box is supported and conveyed by the transport past the flap operating elements.

On the outer chains, the feed fingers B are longitudinally spaced apart from one another distances somewhat greater than the width of the largest size cartons which the machine is intended to accommodate, and fingers A, on the center chain, are spaced apart from one another corresponding distances; however, the effective spacing L between the leading and trailing fingers A and B of a cooperative group may readily be varied to suit cartons of given sizes through the adjustment provided by the worm and worm wheel assembly at the head shaft 93. The feeder is driven in unison with the transport through a sprocket 98a (Figure 6) fixed upon the transport tail shaft 92, and through a chain 98b which extends from sprocket 98a to sprocket 62 on the forward shaft 51 of the feeder mechanism.

Hold down for cartons At the magazine housing the cross wall I4 contains a boss near its lower edge which supports a bracket I 48 (Figure 3) having two depending legs (Figure 11) extending longitudinally of the machine. Each of these legs is slotted carton is erected or squared in the transport is longitudinally to receive an elongated holddown bar I49. These are urged toward the feeder table b compression springs I50 which are mounted in bores in the arms of the bracket. The bars I49 are traversed by pins I5I which pass through vertical slots in bars I49 to allow the bars to have some vertical movement. These bars hold the cartons flat against the feeder table as they are delivered one at a time from the hopper.

The main presser bar 1 extends longitudinally of the machine from a point adjacent the forward end of the hold-down bars I49 to the discharge end of the machine where it extends over the forward transport sprockets and serves as a guard. The element I is in the form of a channel, its side walls being spaced apart from one another to engage endwise portions of the carton while the space between the walls of the channel affords a clearance passage for the projecting fingers A on the center chain.

In order to accommodate cartons of different overall thickness, or height above the table, the hold down i is adjustable vertically; for this purpose it is mounted upon an arm overhanging the mac-nine which may be swung upwardly to throw the bar out of the way and provide convenient 13 access to the transport and to various other portions of the machine.

In the construction disclosed, a bracket I55 (Figures 18 and 20) is mounted upon a side wall of the machine to which it is bolted through screws 56m The bracket has a central offset portion I 5'1 presenting opposed flanges I56 which are straddled by a slide block 559. Keeper strips I66, fastened by screws lfil, are located at the inner face of the slide block to engage the inner faces of flanges E53 of the bracket which at a central portion-thereof has a vertical boss I62 bored to receive a threaded bushing I63. The top of the slide block I53 is straddled by an arm I64 which is pivoted to the sides thereof through shouldered pivot screws :65. Slide block I59 also has a rigid knee I66 extending therefrom over the top of the bracket I and underneath the arm ltd. The knee, at its inward end, carries an adjustment screw it? and lock nut I88, one

end of the screw bearing against the underneath surface of arm I'm to limit downward swinging movement thereof. Knee I58, in alignment with the bushing Hi3 which it overhangs, also is bored to receive a screw shaft 569 which carries an abutment flange ill? in engagement with the lower surface of arm I56. Shaft H39 extends downwardly beyond the flange where it is threaded into the bushing I63, and upwardly above arm Ids where it carries a pinned collar I'll I which has a cross slot at its upper surface. This slot is engageable by a drive dog H3 projecting from the lower end of a shaft 114 journalled in the overhanging arm I54 of the assembly. A

knurled knob I75 is pinned to the shaft H4 at the outside of the overhanging arm, and a spring I16 biases the drive dog on the shaft toward a collar Ill. The structure forms a breakable connection between the screw 59 and the overhanging arrn I8 which permits the arm to be lifted. When the arm is lowered into place, the drive dog I13 bears upon the upper surface of the collar ill and may be engaged with the drive slot therein by rotation of the knob I15,

after which further rotation of the knob will cause the screw I 59 to be rotated to raise or lower the overhanging arm I534 and thereby adjust the position of the hold-down bar I with respect to the transport table. The hold-down bar is fastened to arm Hit by means of screws I75 (Figure 18) and, to facilitate raising, the arm carries a lift knob ill.

In conjunction with the prcsser element 1, the overhanging arm also carries a pair of depending bosses lid (Figure 19) which are spaced apart from one another to define a guideway and bottom for a slide block I2 9 which is slotted, as at 253i), to clear a nut i8! extending from the underneath surface of arm 13 The slide block extends beyond the forward edge of arm I54 where it supports a depending wall plate I82 having a plow member thereon which is described later in connection with the flap manipulating apparatus. For adjustment of the slide block, it is threaded longitudinally to receive a shaft I83 carrying a knurled nut iiil at its outer extremity, and a collar or flange 35 at its inner end forwardly of the nut lSti. Beyond thefiange, shaft I83 is threaded into the nut whereby rotation of the knob I84 causes the slide block to move inwardly or outwardly in a direction crosswise of the machine for adjusting the position of the plow toward. or from the transport to accommodate cartons of different lengths.

End closure apparatus The various operations performed upon the carton frame from the flat form, in which it is delivered from the magazine, to the fully erected form, in which the carton is delivered from the machine ready for the reception of merchandise, are shown diagrammatically in Figures 29 to 37 of the drawings.

The carton here shown is one of rectangular shape having top and bottom faces I36 and I8! respectively, opposite side walls I88, side flaps I89 formed as extensions of the side walls, and an end closure flap tilt. To facilitate erection of the carton it may be scored or creased at the various lines where bends or corners are to occur, as is conventional. In the flat form in which the carton is placed within the magazine, the faces I85 and I81 lie against one another, and the side walls I88 and i853 respectively lie adjacent the faces I81 and 586, while the end flap projects freely from the end of the carton. In this disclosure the erection of the carton and closure of one end only are described, inasmuch as duplicate operations be performed upon flaps at the other end after the carton has been erected and the merchandise has been placed within it.

The fiat cartons are placed within the hopper, end flap down, that is, face ia'l, from which the end flap I extends, is at the bottom of the carton, underneath the face 85. In fabrication this closure is folded upwardly and support of the carton, which is necessary during these operations, is provided in a simple way from the table across which the carton is transported. Heretofore, with the flap overhanging the carton prior to end closure, various superstructure elements were necessary to sustain the end flap until the side had been closed, and additional supports were required to carry, over the table, the apparatus for preparation and insertion of the end flap. As a result machines operating upon that principle have necessarily comprised relatively complicated table superstructures which required dismantling, then reassembly each time the machine was to be modified for operation on a carton of another size. In the present apparatus all of the carton flap closure means are arranged at substantially the table level; they are supported from the bed; no superstructure other than the liftable presser foot 5 is required and the parts are clearly visible and accessible to assist the operator in making final adjustments. For this reason the present machines may be changed over from one carton size to another within less than a quarter of an hour, or so, whereas the machines which have been available in the past always have required several hours of work to set up and sometimes more.

, In the preferred embodiment of the invention the end flap is guided beneath a plate so as to be held against lifting movement, while the side fiaps pass over the plate until they are closed, after which the end flap is released and closed over the side flaps. For this purpose, the end flap is bent slightly downward, whereby it is bent downwardly to isolate it from the side flaps and thereafter to introduce it within the guideway, Next the leading side flap is swung to a closed position over the end of the erected carton (Figure 32), then the trailing side flap is closed (Figure 33). The marginal edgewise portion of the end flap is bent transversely as in Figure 34, if necessary, to form a tuck-in portion thereon and the end flap is then turned towardvthe box 

